Television Licences: Penalties for Non-payment

Lord Taylor of Warwick: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many prisoners are serving sentences for non-payment of television licences.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: On 30 April 2003, the number of males and females in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales for defaulting on the payment of a fine for using television without a licence was one.

Police Service: Paperwork

Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they are undertaking a review of the paperwork required of police officers when making an arrest.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The report of the Policing Bureaucracy Taskforce, established as part of the Government's police reform programme, highlighted ways to free up significant amounts of officers' time. The work of the taskforce is being taken forward by a steering group, co-chaired by the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Home Office. Among the achievements so far is the establishment of a police forms editorial board to streamline, simplify or withdraw from use unnecessary forms. This includes the paperwork required of police officers when making an arrest.
	In addition, the manual of guidance editorial board reviews the forms for use in the completion of prosecution cases. The aim of the manual is to ensure that case files contain sufficient evidence for the case to reach a successful conclusion. The manual is reviewed annually against changes in legislation, policy, practice and procedure and aims to ensure that police officers avoid duplicating information unnecessarily or completing forms which are not required.

Police Performance Monitors

Baroness Golding: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they will publish the second set of police performance monitors.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Today we have published the second set of police performance monitors for individual forces in England and Wales. The first set of performance monitors was published in February 2003. The performance monitor diagrams provide a quick, visual summary representation of the balance of performance for a force. Although the diagrams are simple to look at, they contain a lot of information and have the capacity to reflect performance in a number of separate areas of policing responsibility.
	The forthcoming national policing plan 2004–07, to be published in November 2003, describes in more detail the ongoing work to develop a set of national measures of policing performance and an associated assessment system. While this is being developed, we are continuing to monitor the performance of police forces across a set of interim indicators of policing performance, as well as through other relevant information.
	The publication of the second set of performance monitors will enable the public to gauge the performance of their local force across a range of policing responsibilities. The ability to make this assessment has been considerably improved by the addition of bar charts to the original monitor diagrams, giving a more detailed breakdown of the comparison of forces with their peers. This is further enhanced by the inclusion of two years' worth of performance information, which indicates changes in police performance since last year.

Asylum Applicants: Language Analysis

Lord Tomlinson: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they plan to announce the outcome of the pilot testing of language analysis in determining selected asylum applications.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We are pleased to announce the outcome of the pilot testing of language analysis to help determine asylum claims from selected applicants who claimed to be nationals of Afghanistan, Somalia and Sri Lanka. The pilot was established in the light of concerns that some asylum seekers were posing falsely as nationals of these three countries. Its purpose was to assess the potential value of language analysis in providing expert evidence to identify the place of origin of asylum seekers, and to detect and deter abuse of the asylum system.
	Evaluation of the decisions and appeals outcomes for cases in the three-country pilot to the end of July this year has shown that language analysis is a valuable aid in detecting false nationals (9 per cent of the total number of applicants selected for the pilot and 21 per cent of claimed Somali nationals) and in delivering robust and effective decisions. The percentage of outright refusal decisions was 78 per cent compared with 51 per cent for the pilot nationalities as a whole in 2002. In cases where appeal rights have been exhausted the percentage of decisions upheld (86 per cent) was also higher than the norm (68 per cent for these nationalities, in 2002).
	In order to address continuing concerns about abuse of the asylum system and in the light of the initial and similarly encouraging results from the subsequent Iraqi language analysis pilot, we have decided to commission further work to take forward the wider introduction of language analysis. To achieve maximum benefit, this will form part of the asylum screening process, and will be targeted on cases where claiming a false nationality would give rise to a greater likelihood of being granted asylum, humanitarian protection or discretionary leave.
	The evaluation of the appeals outcomes for cases in the three-country pilot found that challenges to the reports have focused on the credentials of individual language analysts. It is of course essential that the reports are accepted as credible evidence at appeal and that failed applicants are removed from the UK. This demonstrates the need to ensure that the credentials of the language analysis bureau and their analysts meet the requirements of the Immigration Appellate Authority. Among other options, we will be considering the feasibility of establishing a language analysis bureau in the UK to address this issue.
	The Race Monitor, Mary Coussey, who reports to Parliament via the Secretary of State, will exercise independent scrutiny of the operation of language analysis.
	A copy of the summary of findings of the three-country language analysis pilot has been placed in the Library of the House.

Campsfield House

Lord Lofthouse of Pontefract: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What plans they have for the future of the Campsfield House immigration centre.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Campsfield House opened as an immigration centre in November 1993 following its closure as a young offenders institution. In February 2002 the Home Secretary expressed concerns about the quality of the accommodation and it was concluded it should close. However Campsfield has proved invaluable in recent months in holding short-term detainees. Furthermore, during the refurbishment of Harmondsworth, its south-east location makes the establishment strategically important.
	Consequently, and as part of a wider review of the removal estate, we have examined the possibility of maintaining Campsfield. We now propose to modernise and develop the centre, bringing the facilities up to an acceptable standard so as to maximise the capacity of the removals estate and retain a valuable resource.

Millennium Dome

Baroness Blatch: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Rooker on 6 October (WA 14–15) concerning the sale of the Dome, whether they will explain the term "should go unconditional in spring 2004".

Lord Rooker: The contracts signed between English Partnerships and Meridian Delta Limited were subject to a number of conditions, primarily the securing of acceptable planning permission. It is anticipated that all of these conditions will be satisfied by spring 2004, at which point legal responsibility for the future use of the Dome and the long-term regeneration of the land included in the transaction transfers to Anschutz Entertainment Group and Meridian Delta Limited respectively.

NHS Patient and Public Involvement: Government Response to Select Committee

Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they will publish their response to the seventh report of the House of Commons Select Committee on Health, on patient and public involvement in the National Health Service.

Lord Warner: The Government's response to the seventh report of the House of Commons Select Committee on Health, on patient and public involvement in the NHS, Cm 6005, has been published today. Copies have been placed in the Library.

Magistrates' Courts: IT Contracts

Lord Dixon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the current position on the provision of IT to magistrates' courts.

Lord Filkin: It was announced in July 2002 that the Libra project would be delivered by way of three separate contracts. The delivery of the infrastructure underpinning the system was contracted to Fujitsu Services until 2006–07 at the time of that announcement. I can inform the House that the remaining contracts are now in place. Accenture (UK) Ltd, has today been awarded a five-year, £38.5 million, contract to deliver a service using specialised software for case management and tracking, payment of fines and court administration to the magistrates' courts in England and Wales. Case management seeks to speed up the courts process by implementing better ways of working. The contract to develop and support the special software was awarded in January 2003 to STL Technologies, part of the Technology Group. That five-year contract is worth £35 million.

Late Payment

Baroness Greengross: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the late payment legislation applies to contractual payments by local authorities to voluntary organisations.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The late payment legislation applies to contracts for the supply of goods and services where both parties are acting in the course of a business.
	"Business", as defined by the legislation, includes the activities of central and local government and those of other public authorities. The term may also cover the activities of a voluntary organisation, although this would depend on the precise nature of the contractual relationship involved.
	If a voluntary organisation is providing goods or services for the local authority, and earning payment for this, the "business" test may be satisfied. If, conversely, the voluntary organisation is in a position tantamount to that of a consumer, then the test is not likely to be satisfied, meaning the legislation will not apply to the transaction.
	Ultimately, whether the legislation applies to the facts of an individual case is a matter for judicial determination. However, the Government strongly encourage all recipients of goods or services, whether public sector or not, to pay their bills on time.

Arms Brokers: Registration

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is their response to the recent European Union statement calling for the registration of arms brokers.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The EU Council common position on the control of arms brokering, adopted on 23 June 2003, does not call for the registration of arms brokers. Article 4 suggests that member states "may" establish a register of arms brokers, but that "registration or authorisation to act as a broker would in any case not replace the requirement to obtain the necessary licence to written authorisation for each transaction." The Government are not making registration a pre-condition of obtaining an individual licence. Users of open general licences have to pre-register.

Measuring Equipment (Liquid Fuel and Lubricant) (Amendment) Regulations 2003

Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why the test report specified in paragraph 8 of the Measuring Equipment (Liquid Fuel and Lubricant) (Amendment) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/2110) does not require the inclusion of the date on which the test was carried out.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The draft regulations were subject to public consultation in January 2002. Some 70 organisations representing industry, enforcement and consumers were consulted and none suggested that the date was required. The final regulations reflect the wording of the consultation document.
	If needed, the date on which an instrument was tested can be determined by requirements imposed by other legislation, for example, S.I. 1968 No 1615, the Weights and Measures (Prescribed Stamp) Regulations 1968, states that the stamp generally used by inspectors is required to have:
	"(ii) in close proximity to the said crown, a date mark consisting of numerals indicating the year and (if so desired) the month in which the equipment is stamped;"
	Therefore, when the equipment is stamped, as a minimum the year date will be apparent, and it may be accompanied by the month. This combined with the inspector's identification mark, and the requirement in Section 11(6) of the Act, to keep a record of every test carried out by him, will allow complete traceability in the event of any dispute.

Iraq: Costs of Military Campaign and Reconstruction

Baroness Northover: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How much they plan to spend in Iraq in 2004; how much they have spent in 2003 so far; and whether they will provide a breakdown of expenditures in each of these years, including the proportion spent on military operations and the proportion spent on civil reconstruction.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: As the Chancellor said in his 2003 Budget statement, "I can confirm that I have set aside £3 billion, in a special reserve available to the Ministry of Defence so that our troops continue to be properly equipped and given the resources that they deserve and have a right to expect." (House of Commons Official Report, 9 April 2003, col. 271).
	It is too early to provide total costs of the military campaign in Iraq. However, the Ministry of Defence estimate for the preparatory phase, up to the point when military operations began, is around £700 million.
	At the donors' conference on Iraq, in Madrid on 24 October, the UK will make a total financial commitment towards Iraq's reconstruction of £544 million for the three years from April 2003, including the funding that we have provided so far and our share of proposed European Community spending in Iraq.
	£248 million is for humanitarian and reconstruction assistance already committed by DfID and other government departments, £9 million of which is our share of the EC commitment, and £296 million will be for the period up to March 2006, £29 million of which is our share of currently proposed EC spending.

Government Debt: EU Requirements

Lord Northbrook: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Under current government forecasts, at what level of debt would they be breaching the European Community requirements.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Budget 2003 projections, set out in Table 2.7 of the 2003 Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report (HC500), meet the EU treaty reference value for general government gross debt (60 per cent of GDP) throughout the projection period.

Wage Inflation: Health and Education

Lord Northbrook: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the level of wage inflation in the health and education areas of the public sector over each of the last three years compared with growth in total expenditure in those sectors.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Gross rates of pay for schoolteachers and health workers are published in the Office for National Statistics' streamlined analyses of the new earnings survey for 2000 to 2003.
	Total managed expenditure by government on education and healthcare are published in HM Treasury's public expenditure statistical analyses 2003 (Table 3.5).
	Both publications are available in the Library of the House and are accessible on the ONS and Treasury websites respectively.

State Pension: Arrangements with the Philippines

Baroness Greengross: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many United Kingdom state pensioners in receipt of the United Kingdom state pension live in the Philippines; and how many Filipino state pensioners live in the United Kingdom; and
	How many United Kingdom state pensioners living in the Philippines receive a frozen state pension; how many receive an annually uprated state pension; and whether they can estimate the annual cost of paying their state pensions; and
	When the social security reciprocal agreement with the Philippines providing for the annual uprating of the state pension was signed; and when it was implemented.

Baroness Hollis of Heigham: As at 4 January 2003, there were 680 people in receipt of UK state pension living in the Philippines. We do not have any information on the number of people in receipt of pensions from the Philippines living in the UK as there is no formal exchange of pension recipient information betweeen the UK and the Philippines.
	Since 1 December 1989, all UK pensioners living in the Philippines benefit from the annual uprating of state pensions. We are unable to estimate the cost of paying these state pensions because the department now accounts for its administration and benefit expenditure by strategic objective, as set out in its public service agreements, and by individual requests for resources, as set out in the departmental estimates and accounts.
	The social security reciprocal agreement between the UK and the Philippines was signed on 27 February 1985, but the agreement did not come into force until 1 December 1989.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What was the cost of research programmes into the causes of bovine tuberculosis and into developing a suitable vaccine in the years 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and up to July 2003.

Lord Whitty: The following table shows the costs of the government research programme for the financial years 1998–99 to 2003–04.
	
		
			 Financial Year Defra-funded Bovine TB Research(1) £ Vaccine-related Research £ 
			 1998–1999 2,503,986 825,942 
			 1999–2000 4,091,122 1,352,204 
			 2000–2001 5,233,343 1,415,287 
			 2001–2002 6,096,314 1,505,887 
			 2002–2003 6,823,611 1,495,314 
			 2003–2004 7,049,776 1,618,819 
		
	
	(1) This does not include the costs of the randomised badger culling trial, TB99 and the road traffic accident survey work details as follows:
	
		Table 2 RBCT, TB99, RTA & Associated Research Costs
		
			  Cost (£,000) 
			 1998–99 2,988 
			 1999–2000 4,392 
			 2000–01 6,630 
			 2001–02 6,001 
			 2002–03 6,479 
			 2003–04 7,990

Strategic Rail Authority

Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the strategies prepared by the Strategic Rail Authority under Section 206 of the Transport Act 2000; what was the date on which each one was approved by the Secretary of State; and what was the date at which any were superseded or updated.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The table below provides a list of strategies published by the Strategic Rail Authority under Section 206 of the Transport Act 2000.
	
		
			 Date of Approval and  Publication Strategy 
			 May 2001 Freight strategy 
			 January 2002 First strategic plan 
			 January 2003 Second strategic plan 
			 June 2003 West Coast Main Line strategy 
			 June 2003 Network utilisation strategy 
			 October 2003 Specification of network outputs

Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Port Waste Reception Facilities) Regulations 2003

Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether all waste management plans submitted under the Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Port Waste Reception Facilities) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/1809) conform with best practice guidelines and legislative requirements laid down by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The implementation of the regulations is the responsibility of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA). Although plans are not required to demonstrate compliance with guidelines developed by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), and neither is this part of the approval process, the MCA has advised port waste management planners to contact their local Defra office and environmental regulator in order to discuss the provision of reception facilities and ensure that they conform with both Defra's and the regulator's guidance. The MCA has consulted closely with Defra throughout the development of the regulations and the associated guidance in order to promote best practice.

Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Port Waste Reception Facilities) Regulations 2003

Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether all harbours and terminals have submitted waste management plans under the Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Port Waste Reception Facilities) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/1809).

Lord Davies of Oldham: In consultation with the UK ports industry it was agreed that port waste management plans conforming to the requirements of the Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Port Waste Reception Facilities) Regulations 2003 should be submitted to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) for review and approval at the latest by 31 December 2003. Not all harbours and terminals have yet submitted their plans.